LTO cracks down on 178 motorcycle and car dealers over delayed OR/CR processing
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has stepped up its crackdown on accredited dealerships after issuing Show Cause Orders (SCOs) to 178 motorcycle and car dealers nationwide from January to June 2026 for violations related to the initial registration of new vehicles.
According to the agency, the dealers were cited for various violations, including failing to comply with the prescribed processing period for releasing Official Receipts (ORs), Certificates of Registration (CRs), and license plates.
The move came in response to complaints from motorists who said they were unable to legally use their newly purchased motorcycles and cars because their registration documents and plates were not released on time.
Among motorcycle dealers, the LTO said Rizal Autozone, Inc., Motoxpress Sales Corp., Motortrade, Wheeltek Motor Sales Corporation, and Keymotors Incorporated recorded the highest number of complaints. Meanwhile, among car dealerships, the companies with the most complaints include Shaw Automotive Resources, Inc., Gateway Motors (Cebu) Inc., MG Gateway Mantrade Corp., and Vesuvius Motor Corporation.
LTO Assistant Secretary, Markus Lacanilao, said it is time to hold dealers accountable, who, continue to fail in their obligations. He also said that the agency will no longer tolerate delays in services that motorists are entitled to receive, describing them as an “unnecessary inconvenience” to the public. He warned that dealers found violating LTO regulations could face preventive suspension and, if necessary, have their operations suspended.
The LTO clarified that the issuance of an SCO is part of due process and allows the concerned dealers to explain or answer the allegations before any sanctions are imposed.
The agency added that it will continue issuing SCOs against accredited dealer companies found to have violated existing laws and regulations governing the initial registration of new vehicles.
Under current LTO rules, accredited dealers are responsible for processing the initial registration of brand-new vehicles, including the issuance of the Official Receipt (OR), Certificate of Registration (CR), and license plates to their customers. Dealers are given 3-5 days from the date of sale to register brand-new motorcycles, and 7-11 calendar days for brand-new motor vehicles with four wheels or more.
We reached out to some of the motorcycle dealerships named by the LTO for comment, and they had yet to respond as of press time.
